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Simmons thinks there is a high probability the rumor came from someone at ESPN

ESPN's Bill Simmons said the unnamed sources who Deadspin cited in a story on Thursday as saying that he was responsible for Magic Johnson's departure from the net's "NBA Countdown" are "liars," according to Richard Deitsch of SI.com. Simmons said, "Someone planted a fake story to try to make me look bad, and there's a 99.3 percent chance it came from someone in Bristol (which presents its own set of concerns). I was upset; I can't lie." Simmons added, "I don't know if our show will be better or worse without Magic, but he certainly made the show feel bigger. He's one of the most famous people on the planet -- and the weight he carried with current players is just something we'll never be able to match. ... I felt blindsided when Mag ...